CM KP laments delay in NFC, warns of impact of ex-Fata’s development

PESHAWAR
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi on Friday expressed concern over the non-release of promised funds under the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award by the federal government, stating that the delay has adversely affected development projects in the merged districts.
Addressing the 43rd meeting of the provincial cabinet, the chief minister said that NFC funds, which were to be transferred on a quarterly basis, have not yet been released for the financial year 2025–26.
The meeting was attended by members of the provincial cabinet, the chief secretary, additional chief secretary (home), senior member Board of Revenue, administrative secretaries, and the advocate general of KP.
CM Afridi stated that despite serious financial constraints, the provincial government is making every possible effort to ensure that residents of the merged districts do not face hardships and that development and welfare initiatives continue within available resources.
Commenting on the political situation, Mr Afridi strongly criticised what he termed the “inhumane and undemocratic” treatment of former prime minister Imran Khan, his wife Bushra Bibi, and his sisters by the federal and Punjab governments.
He alleged that the use of water cannons containing toxic chemicals against peaceful political workers, parliamentarians, party leaders, and family members of Imran Khan earlier this week caused health complications. Such actions, he said, were against democratic norms and were strongly condemned by the provincial government. The chief minister urged the federal government to prioritise stabilising the country’s deteriorating economy instead of engaging in political victimisation, noting that key indicators such as GDP growth, agricultural output, and industrial performance were continuously declining.
On governance matters, Mr Afridi informed the cabinet that he had initiated personal field visits and directed all provincial ministers and their secretaries to conduct mandatory visits to their respective districts and departments every 15 days.
He said such visits were essential to restore public trust and strengthen checks and balances. He also announced that the chief secretary would present a detailed briefing on the provincial government’s Good Governance Roadmap in the next cabinet meeting.
Later, briefing the media, Special Assistant to the Chief Minister for Information and Public Relations Shafi Jan said the cabinet approved several key decisions related to socio-economic development, governance, and law and order. He said the cabinet approved the Ehsaas Rehribaan (Street Vendors) Livelihood Protection Act, 2025, which will soon be presented in the provincial assembly. The proposed law aims to protect the rights of street vendors by allocating designated spaces in cities to enable them to conduct business in an organised manner.
He added that over 140,000 individuals across the province are associated with street vending and will also be eligible for government loan schemes under the new law. Mr Jan said the cabinet approved the establishment of a new district, “Ber Swat,” with its headquarters at Matta. A committee was also constituted to address smog in Peshawar, which will propose long-term measures including the introduction of electric rickshaws, plantation drives, and administrative interventions.
On security, he said the cabinet approved measures to enhance the capacity of the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) and the Special Branch. A Rs17 billion package was approved for the CTD, with Rs7bn to be released immediately, while Rs14bn was approved for the Special Branch.
The funds will be utilised for weapons procurement, armoured vehicles, new recruitments, and the establishment of district-level formations and a headquarters office in Peshawar.
The cabinet also approved the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Promotion of Digital Payments Bill, 2025, under which 170 government services will be shifted to digital payment systems over the next two years, with 21 services included in the first phase.
Other decisions included the transfer of land to the Labour Department for establishing a 20-bed polyclinic hospital for Social Security Institute employees in Dera Ismail Khan, approval of a non-ADP scheme for cemetery land in Mansehra, establishment of the Chief Secretary’s Service Delivery Unit, approval of additional costs for the upgradation and construction of the Women and Children Hospital in Haripur, and the appointment of the chief executive officer of the Pakhtunkhwa Energy Development Organisation.